Method and apparatus for cleaning

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus wherein workpiece is cleaned with a metallic material by abrading the cleaning material from the source, collecting the abraded material, and abrading the workpiece with the collected material.

United States Patent 1191 Petrik 14 May 21, 1974 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR 2,702,969 3/1955 Klaar 51/263 x CLEANING 2,177,992 10/1939 Moon 51/263 2,914,425 11/1959 McGuire 117/111 [76] Invento be 2 6 oy e 1,460,137 6/1923 Myers 117/010. 1

Roslyn, Pa. 19001 [22] Filed: May 16, 1973 P E Do B G ll 211 App]. No.: 360,731 e y Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 160,761, July 8,

1971, abandoned. 57 S AC [52] US. Cl 51/16, 51/263, 51/292 I 51 Int. Cl B24b 1/00, B24b 57/00 A method and apparatus wherein workpiece 1s [58] m f Search 51/78, 263, 2 328,16, cleaned with a metallic material by abrading the SW22; H7/||1,D|G 1 cleaning material from the source, collecting the abraded material, and abrading the workpiece with 56] References Cited the collected material.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1957 Housdorfer 51/263 8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures ATENTED MAY 2 1 I974 ESL; 'INVENTCR.

ALBERT v PETRIK Y W/KWU' ATTOR N EY.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a Continuation-in-Part of my copending patent application Ser. No. 160,761 filed July 8, 1971 and now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION While it has, in the past, been common practice in the cleaning of metals to use wire brushes of difi'erent materials, such wire brushing procedures were not entirely satisfactory, as not doing a thorough and complete job of cleaning, and not being satisfactory under many conditions requiring cleaning, say in the cleaning of welds, removal of rust, and the like.

' SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION applied to the brush, and the particles oxidized for highly abrasive efiects, which oxidized particles are then applied to a workpiece by movement of the brush to produce quick and thorough cleaning in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partial top perspective view showing an automatic apparatus for cleaning in accordance with the teachings of the instant invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a hand tool for practice of the instant cleaning invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the line 33 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now more particularly to the drawings, specifically to FIG. 1 thereof, a cleaning apparatus in accordance with the instant invention is there generally designated 10, and includes a conveyor, such as represented by rollers 11, I2 and 13 which serve to convey a strip or sheet 14, say of metal or other material, such as steel, in the direction of arrow 15. Arranged over the sheet 14 is a generally cylindrical cleaning material depositor or wire brush 16. The wire brush may be generbe mounted for axial rotation, as about the axis of shaft 17, the shaft being rotatably carried by journals 18, which are supported by fixed structure or bars 19 and 20 respectively adjacent to opposite ends of the brush. A suitable framework may be employed to fixedly support the structural members of bars 19 and 20, and has been omitted from the drawing for clarity.

The brush I6 is axially rotated by any suitable drive means, say in the direction of arrow 21, maintaining its peripheral engagement with the workpiece 14 as the latter moves along the conveyor rolls 11-13.

In addition, upstream of the brush 16, there may be mounted a fixed holder 25, say in the form of a container having an open side facing generally toward the brush 16. The holder or container 25 may be fixed in position, as by a mounting member 26 fixed between the holder 25 and bar member 20. Slidably located interiorly of the holder 25 is a body 27 of cleaning material. That is, the body 27 is the source of material ultimately applied to the workpiece 14. As' seen in the drawing, the source material body 27 is slidably received in the holder 25, projecting outwardly through the open end thereof into peripheral engagement with the wire brush or wheel 16. Preferably suitable resilient means are employed to maintain the body 27 in engagement with the ends of the bristles of brush 16 so as to be abraded by the bristle ends. Coil compression springs, as at 28 may maintain this engagement of the body 27 with the brush 16.

In practice, the body 27 is of amaterial having a resistance to abrasion less than that of the workpiece 14. That is, the material of body 27 is softer than the material of the'workpiece l4, and further, the material is oxidizable in air at room temperature. A body 27 of an aluminum material has been found admirably well suited for use in practicing the instant invention.

By the method of the instant invention, the bristle ends of wire brush 16 abrade-against the source material of body 27 and collect the abraded material in minute partricles which are subsequently applied as an oxide by the bristle ends to the workpiece 14. In practice, the workpiece 14 may be of an unsatisfactory or otherwise inferior surface, say dirty, corroded, pitted or the like, and the wire brush '16 cleans and renews the workpiece surface 30. It will therefore be appreciated that the above-described method takes place substantially at room temperature, the cleaning occurring substantially immediately, before any appreciable frictional heat is generated. The aluminum of the source material is picked up in the form of particles on the bristle ends of brush 16, the particles being minute or microscopic, but in solid state, as aluminum oxide so as to be impinged at relatively high unit pressure against the workpice to effect an abrasive cleaning by the oxidized source particles of the workpiece. The action appears to be essentially physical, the cleaning apparently occurring by abrasion of oxidized particles, rather than electrically. That is, the wire brush, source material and workpiece may all be at substantially the same electric potential.

Of course, the above-described method and apparatus are adapted to operate continuously, so as to clean a workpiece as it progresses, say through a rolling mill, or the like.

In home or small shop usage, theremay be provided an apparatus generally designated a, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. The apparatus 10a may includea generally circular enclosed housing 31 having a peripheral opening, as at 32 communicating between the interior and exterior of the housing. More specifically, the housing 31 includes a pair of generally circular side walls 33 and 34, and a circumferential wall 35. The opening 32 is formedin the circumferential wall 35 at adjacent regions of the side or end walls 33 and 34. At one location on the circumferential wall 35, there may be provided exteriorly of the housing 31 a handle or hand grip member 36; and at another location on the circumferential wall 35 there may be provided a hollow generally radial extension 37.

lnteriorly of the generally cylindrical housing 31, concentrically therein may be rotatably mounted a wire brush 39, as by bearings 47 and 48 in respective opposite side walls 33 and 34. A shaft 49 may carry the generally circular wire brush 39 for axial rotation in the bearings 47 and 48. v

The radial housing extension 37 communicates with the interior of the main housing 31, and is provided interiorly thereof with a body 27a of source material to be coated onto a workpiece. The source body 27a is in engagement with the periphery of the wire brush 39, being movable radially thereof and resiliently urged radially inwardly toward the brush, as will appear presently.

The'outer end of the housing extension 37 may be openably closed, as by an end member or closure 40 which maybe suitably hinged, as at 41 for swinging movement between its illustrated closed condition and an open outwardly swung condition. suitable catch means 42 may releasably retain the closure 40 in its closed position.

A threaded member or screw 43 may be threadedly engaged through the closure 40 of housing extension 37, carrying an enlarged member or head 44 on its inner end. interposed between the enlarged head 44 of the threaded member 43 and the source body 27a, within the radial housing extension '37, is a coil compression spring 45 or other suitable resilient means. The spring 45 bears against the body 27a to maintain the latter in engagement with the periphery of the wire brush 39 for abrasion by the bristle ends of the body 27a. The pressure of the body 27a againstthe bristle ends may be selectively adjusted by rotation of the screw 43.

The extending journal shaft 49 may be chucked in a suitable drive means, say an electric drill 46, and the drill and housing 31 simultaneously hand held to apply the bristle ends of brush 39 extending through opening 32 against a work piece.

It will now be appreciated that the relatively soft aluminum material of body 27a is abraded by the bristle ends of brush 39, the abraded material being collected as particles on the bristle ends and thereby engaged against a suitable workpiece for cleaning the latter. By the hand-held embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3, a variety of intricately shaped articles may be cleaned, as desired.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention provides a method and apparatus for cleaning metals, say welded, rusted or otherwise unclean metal workpieces, which method and apparatus are extremely quick, economical and thorough, and otherwise accomplish the intended objects.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention. For example, it is appreciated that upon continuance of the instant method after cleaning of the workpiece, there will be deposited a thin uniform film on the workpiece which includes material from the supply body. The deposited film is extremely hard and resistant to wear and scratching, and it is appreciated that continuance of the cleaning operation to form the film does not depart from the instant invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In the method of cleaning a workpiece, the steps which comprise: providing a body of soft aluminum having an abrasion resistance lower than that of the workpiece, applying a wire brush to the body at room temperature to abrade the aluminum and collect minute particles of abraded material on the brush, the particles oxidizing to define abrasive, applying the brush and collected particles to the workpiece to abrade the latter, and maintaining the body, brush and workpiece at substantially the same electric potential to prevent the flow therebetween of electricity.

2. The method according to claim 1, further characterized in rotating the brush in continuous contact with said body and workpiece for continuously impinging said aluminum to said workpiece.

3. The method according to claim 1, further characterized in rotating said brush relative to said workpiece and moving the workpiece relative to the axis of brush rotation for cleaning a substantial area of said workpiece.

4. The method according to claim 1, further characterized in rotating said brush relative to said workpiece and urging said body generally radially inwardly toward said brush for continuous application of aluminum to said brush.

5. The method according to claim 1, further characterized in effecting said collection of solid particles in an atmosphere adapted to oxidize the solid particles.

6. Cleaning apparatus comprising a wire brush for rotation in engagement with a workpiece to be cleaned,

and a body of aluminum located adjacent to the bristle ends of the brush for abrasion thereby, whereby the aluminum is collected in minute particles on the bristle ends of the brush and thereby engaged with the workpiece.

7. Cleaning apparatus according to claim 6, in combination with a body holder mounted in fixed relation substantial area of the workpiece. 

1. In the method of cleaning a workpiece, the steps which comprise: providing a body of soft aluminum having an abrasion resistance lower than that of the workpiece, applying a wire brush to the body at room temperature to abrade the aluminum and collect minute particles of abraded material on the brush, the particles oxidizing to define abrasive, applying the brush and collected particles to the workpiece to abrade the latter, and maintaining the body, brush and workpiece at substantially the same electric potential to prevent the flow therebetween of electricity.
 2. The method according to claim 1, further characterized in rotating the brush in continuous contact with said body and workpiece for continuously impinging said aluminum to said workpiece.
 3. The method according to claim 1, further characterized in rotating said brush relative to said workpiece and moving the workpiece relative to the axis of brush rotation for cleaning a substantial area of said workpiece.
 4. The method according to claim 1, further characterized in rotating said brush relative to said workpiece and urging said body generally radially inwardly toward said brush for continuous application of aluminum to said brush.
 5. The method according to claim 1, further characterized in effecting said collection of solid particles in an atmosphere adapted to oxidize the solid particles.
 6. Cleaning apparatus comprising a wire brush for rotation in engagement with a workpiece to be cleaned, and a body of aluminum located adjacent to the bristle ends of the brush for abrasion thereby, whereby the aluminum is collected in minute particles on the bristle ends of the brush and thereby engaged with the workpiece.
 7. Cleaning apparatus according to claim 6, in combination with a body holder mounted in fixed relation with respect to the axis of brush rotation, and resilient means carried by said holder urging said body radially inwardly toward said brush.
 8. Cleaning apparatus according to claim 7, in combination with means for moving said workpiece relative to said brush axis and holder while said workpiece is engaged with said brush, for brush engagement over a substantial area of the workpiece. 